Early Head Start-Home Visiting (EHS-HV)

In Brief

Last Updated

Evidence of Program Model Effectiveness

This program model meets the criteria established by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for an “evidence-based early childhood home visiting service delivery model” for the general population, but does not meet the criteria for tribal populations.

Program Model Description

Early Head Start (EHS) targets low-income pregnant women and families with children from birth through age 3, most of whom are at or below the federal poverty level or who are eligible for Part C services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in their state. The program provides early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services. EHS programs include home- or center-based services, a combination of home- and center-based programs, and family child care services (services provided in family child care homes). The focus of this report is on the home-based service option. EHS home-based services include weekly 90-minute home visits and two group socialization activities per month for parents and their children. Home visitors are required to have knowledge and experience in child development and early childhood education; principles of child health, safety, and nutrition; adult learning principles; and family dynamics. This report also includes a review of an infant mental health home-based services adaptation of EHS home-based services, IMH-HB EHS, which aims to help parents build stronger relationships with their infants and toddlers, foster healthy family functioning, and support the emotional health of both parent and child. For more information, please read the Program Model Overview.

This table summarizes the effects found in research across outcome domains. Outcomes with a favorable impact are
listed in green and outcomes with an unfavorable or ambiguous impact are listed in red. Outcomes that have high attrition or lack of baseline equivalence
are excluded from this report. The Summary of Findings table reports only findings with a high or moderate rating.

Favorable Impact: A statistically significant impact on an outcome measure in a direction
that is beneficial for children and parents. This impact could statistically be positive or negative, and is determined “favorable” based on the end
result. For example, a favorable impact could be an increase in children’s vocabulary or daily reading to children by parents, or a reduction in
harsh parenting practices or maternal depression.

Unfavorable or Ambiguous Impact: A statistically significant impact on an outcome measure in
a direction that may indicate potential harm to children and/or parents. This impact could statistically be positive or negative, and is determined
“unfavorable or ambiguous” based on the end result. NOTE: While some outcomes are clearly unfavorable, for other outcomes it is not as clear which
direction is desirable. For example, an increase in children’s behavior problems is clearly unfavorable, while an increase in number of days mothers are
hospitalized is more ambiguous. This may be viewed as an unfavorable impact because it indicates that mothers have more health problems, but it could
also indicate that mothers have increased access to needed health care due to their participation in a home visiting program.

Criteria Established by the Department of Health and Human Services

Information Based on Comprehensive Review of All High- and Moderate-Impact Studies for this Model

High- or moderate-quality impact study?

Yes

Yes

Across high- or moderate-quality studies, favorable impacts in…

at least two outcome domains within one sample

OR

the same domain for at least two non-overlapping samples?

Yes

No

Favorable impacts on full sample?

Yes

Yes

Any favorable impacts on outcome measures sustained at least 12 months after program enrollment?a

Yes

Yes

One or more favorable, statistically significant impact reported in a peer-reviewed journal?a

Yes

Yes

aThis information is reported for all program models, but the requirements for sustained findings and inclusion in a peer-reviewed journal only apply to models for which all findings are from randomized controlled trials.